Arsenal’s Arteta says Guardiola inspired Champions League run

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta thanked Premier League rivals Manchester City’s manager Pep Guardiola after his side defeated holders Real Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League

The Spaniard hailed the victory as one of the best nights of his career and revealed he had a chat with his former mentor Guardiola on the morning of the second leg before Arsenal claimed a 5-1 aggregate win.

“I called him because if I am here, it is thanks to him to a great extent,” Arteta told reporters after Wednesday’s game.

He worked as Guardiola’s assistant at City from 2016-19.

“He has been a big inspiration to me. I lived four amazing years with him and I will always be grateful to him. Without him, I wouldn’t be here,” he added.

With a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg at the Emirates, Arsenal exuded a confidence unmatched by the hosts. Bukayo Saka’s second-half strike was cancelled out by Vinicius Junior in the 67th minute before Gabriel Martinelli sealed the win with a stoppage-time goal.

Arsenal are in the Champions League semi-finals for the third time.

“Our team is very hungry and we want to keep on doing great things ... we want to keep playing at semi-finals. We will have to go through tough times if we want to continue playing at this stage but we also have to enjoy it,” Arteta added.

“The first thing I thought when the game finished was of my wife and my children because they’ve heard all week about what can happen in this stadium. They were here with me and they were proud.”

Arsenal host Paris St Germain (PSG) on April 29 in the first leg, aiming for a spot in the final in Munich, having defeated PSG 2-0 at home in the group stage in October.

Rice ‘knew’ Arsenal would dethrone Real

Declan Rice said Arsenal are on course for “special things” after beating Real.

Rice’s two stunning free-kicks in the first leg set the Gunners on their way to dethroning the defending European champions.

“It’s such a special night for this club, it’s a historic night for this club. We have an objective in this competition, we want to play the best teams and we want to win this competition,” Rice told TNT Sports.

“There was a lot of talk coming here about them coming back because they’ve done it so many times before.

“But we had so much belief and confidence from that first leg that we could come here and win the game.

“We knew we were going to suffer but we knew we were going to win.”

The London club have never won European football’s top prize and last won the Premier League back in 2003/04.

However, Rice, who joined from West Ham for a club record £105 million ($139 million) in 2023, believes major trophies are just around the corner for Mikel Arteta’s men.

“It’s massive. I sensed before I signed for the club that we were on an upwards trajectory,” he added.

“This club is going to do special things in the coming years. We all fully believe in it, we have full trust in this manger - he’s unbelievable!

“Semi-finals is massive for us and we want to take tonight in.”

‘No problem’ if Real replace me: Ancelotti: Carlo Ancelotti accepted Real may look to replace him as coach.

“It could be that the club decide to change (coach), it could be this year -- or the next when my contract expires, there’s no problem,” Ancelotti told reporters.

“The day that I leave here I can only thank the club.

“It could be tomorrow, in 10 days, in a month or a year, but all I can do will be to thank the club -- if my contract’s up or not, I don’t care.”

Real have been linked with Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, who played for Los Blancos, and former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.

Ancelotti said his team were still in the fight for La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Club World Cup this summer.

Agencies